So I took my new SA 1911 Loaded Black Stainless target to the range this weekend and I loved it.

I now have 2 questions.

1) after cleaning the gun before and after I find that I really don't like having to use an Allen key to dissemble the 2 piece recoil spring guide.

can I buy another recoil spring guide else where? i assume it would fit right in?

2) The rear sight is suppose to be adjustable, what level of adjustment can I expect and how should i go about adjusting it for say 25 yards? I assume a pistol rest would be used?

Thanks and excuse my "stupid" questions

M. D. Van Norman

09-26-2011, 10:38 AM

Iím not familiar with your specific model, but assuming that youíre not dealing with a bull barrel, it should be possible to install a standard barrel bushing, recoil-spring plug, and guide rod.

Donít adjust the sights until youíve familiarized yourself with the pistol. Most handguns are zeroed at 25 yards from the factory.

Montu

09-26-2011, 12:30 PM

hm that's what I thought as the sights seemed to be ok.

Now does anyone have any recommendations on what to replace the parts with? Wilson combat?

M. D. Van Norman

09-26-2011, 12:42 PM

Iím partial to EGW (http://www.egwguns.com/) for the parts in question. :)

JTROKS

09-26-2011, 12:46 PM

If you prefer the full length recoil guide rod (FLRG) you can buy a Wilson Combat FLRG. You may need a bushing wrench to help in disassembling the gun due to the recoil spring plunger being harder to push with your thumb. Some folks just use the base of a 45 ACP brass or something similar in size while working the bushing to disassemble position. Be careful when buying a different brand of FLRG for some are long like the stock SA FLRG. If you have a lathe or handy with tools you can cut the stock SA FLRG and save you $25. That's what I did to the one that came with my SA 1911 9mm Target. One more option is to put a hole on the shaft of the FLRG to make it a captive style take down.

MA2

09-26-2011, 12:55 PM

You can go GI plug, or a 1-piece rod guide, neither will need a wrench.

Any brand GI rod-guide & plug will do as they are not real high stress parts (haven't heard of any breaking)...comes down to how pretty you like it to be :)

Black/stainless...since your bushing is black, I would go stainless, for the contrast look.
This Wilson looks semi-unique at a reasonable price:
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Recoil-Spring-Plug-Ringed-Cap-Bullet-Proof-Stainless/productinfo/566/

AeroEngi

09-26-2011, 1:01 PM

I've got an EGW GI guide rod and Ed Brown spring plug in my Springfield TRP. I bought both of them from Brownell's. This setup seems to work really well for me so I think you'll like it too.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk.

JTROKS

09-26-2011, 1:30 PM

2) The rear sight is suppose to be adjustable, what level of adjustment can I expect and how should i go about adjusting it for say 25 yards? I assume a pistol rest would be used?

This is all up to you depending on what hold you put your sights on the target and how you grip the gun. My advice is to shoot the gun on the bench, holding it like the way your hold it when firing offhand, but have some support under your hands to keep the sights steady. In that way there won't be much deviation from your actual POI when shooting it standing.

Centurion_D

09-26-2011, 1:31 PM

I have a Springer loaded model..one of the first things I did was toss the FLGR and install a standard GI plug.

Montu

09-26-2011, 1:42 PM

Thanks for the info guys.

do i have to replace the spring it's self or will it be fine on a new rod?

AeroEngi

09-26-2011, 1:52 PM

Thanks for the info guys.

do i have to replace the spring it's self or will it be fine on a new rod?

You can use the same spring that came with the gun. Just remember to change it out at 2000-3000 round intervals or when it starts giving you problems.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk.

huckberry668

09-26-2011, 2:59 PM

I have a Springer loaded model..one of the first things I did was toss the FLGR and install a standard GI plug.

Agreed. I put FLGR in all my 1911s over a decade ago and I have them all back with GI plugs now. From the 1000s of rounds I shot with both in the same guns, FLGR didn't do anything for reliability. It's easier to take apart with GI plug and load/eject with 1 hand in combat drills.

Montu

09-26-2011, 3:51 PM

sounds good.

thanks again guys.

JTROKS

09-26-2011, 4:27 PM

I'm not going to say the FLRG does anything for reliability, accuracy, and ease of field stripping or what have you. I do like the balance of the pistol with a little bit of weight up front, but doesn't move with the slide.

Montu

09-27-2011, 7:38 PM

one more question for HD what do you guys think of the +p ammo?

for some reason I ended up ordering some Winchester ranger talons in +p but now I realize the stock 16lbs spring (or other parts) may not be up to the task? should I just sell it off and go with standard pressure?

jfa25

09-27-2011, 8:08 PM

Am sure the 16lb spring will be fine. The only way you should consider a heavier spring is if you plan on shooting +p ammo all the time

Montu

09-28-2011, 12:30 AM

+p would only be for home defense but I would like it to cycle it perfectly for obvious reasons.

Thanks for the info I guess I'll test fire and see.

esartori

09-28-2011, 9:01 AM

I have shot that exact ammo, winchester ra45tp, with a stock 16lbs spring and no problems. If its home defense and you're not shooting thousands of them, just enough to test reliability, u should be fine

Bobby Ricigliano

09-29-2011, 7:41 AM

EGW or Wilson Combat parts from Brownells or Midway are GTG. The parts will drop right in. I prefer the GI guide rod setup. It works fine in a Springer loaded. Shoot at least 2-3 boxes of your HD ammo to ensure they will feed. Dump the craptastic Springfield magazines and buy some Wilson 47D's.

Now you've got yourself a fighting gun.

Montu

10-03-2011, 3:31 PM

hey guys,

been putting off ordering the parts for some reason...but after shooting the gun twice more and having the 2 pc guide rod become loose after about 150 rds got on my nerves

is this all I need?

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/6862/capturemvp.jpg

I'll probably get the Wilson combat plug linked above instead cause I would prefer stainless to this "blue" color

CrazyJeep

10-04-2011, 1:15 PM

hey guys,

been putting off ordering the parts for some reason...but after shooting the gun twice more and having the 2 pc guide rod become loose after about 150 rds got on my nerves

is this all I need?

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/6862/capturemvp.jpg

I'll probably get the Wilson combat plug linked above instead cause I would prefer stainless to this "blue" color

I would probably shoot for the Cylinder and Slide spring plug as that will capture the recoil spring to prevent it and the spring from flying.

hmm looks interesting..any videos on youtube of field striping with that? I might be willing to pay if its that good and fits perfect.

damn more options then I thought.

hkdad

10-04-2011, 1:57 PM

^^^ I would never use that for a HD gun. For competition? That's another story!

Montu

10-04-2011, 2:03 PM

^^^ I would never use that for a HD gun. For competition? That's another story!

yea I just looked it up and found 2 guys claiming a failure of the spring that holds the lever...just another point of failure..to bad I was starting to dig how easy it made things

RippSpeed

10-04-2011, 2:06 PM

^^^ I would never use that for a HD gun. For competition? That's another story!

Why wouldnt you use it ... It goes thru more abuse in a competition pistol than a HD pistol ... If it works without a hiccup on a competition pistol; for example my STI Edge has had the dawson tooless guide rod for 3000+rds (thats 700 Federal factory rounds and 1000 rounds reloads and now on a steady diet of Montana Gold and 172pf rounds ) without a hiccup, why wouldnt I use it in my HD ...

jessegpresley

10-04-2011, 2:08 PM

PM me your snail mail address and I'll send you the FLGR out of my Wilson. It only has a few hundred rounds on it. I prefer a traditional GI setup.

Montu

10-04-2011, 2:09 PM

PM me your snail mail address and I'll send you the FLGR out of my Wilson. It only has a few hundred rounds on it. I prefer a traditional GI setup.

Hey I'll take that :D

PM inbound

hkdad

10-04-2011, 2:26 PM

Why wouldnt you use it ... It goes thru more abuse in a competition pistol than a HD pistol ... If it works without a hiccup on a competition pistol; for example my STI Edge has had the dawson tooless guide rod for 3000+rds (thats 700 Federal factory rounds and 1000 rounds reloads and now on a steady diet of Montana Gold and 172pf rounds ) without a hiccup, why wouldnt I use it in my HD ...

i used it in my limited gun, and it failed twice! enough not to trust it for HD use!

RippSpeed

10-04-2011, 2:29 PM

i used it in my limited gun, and it failed twice! enough not to trust it for HD use!
Sorry for off topic...BUT
Dang pare !!! I havent had that issue ... I've been really satisfied with mine what failed on yours ???

hkdad

10-04-2011, 2:36 PM

Sorry for off topic...BUT
Dang pare !!! I havent had that issue ... I've been really satisfied with mine what failed on yours ???

cycling problems in general. i went with a FLGR and never had any issues. those recoil masters are crap too!

ns3v3n

10-04-2011, 2:43 PM

I have the exact gun and I replaced mine with a Ed brown Gi guide rod and plug from Midwayusa. The plug I got stainless because I like the look of it. It doesnt require any tools for take down and it doesnt come loose like the 2 piece FLGR. It's all up to you on what you want to do. Mine works great, cycles great and no more using the stupid tool to take down. CheerS!
This is what i have on mine. You can choose either you want a 1 pc or 2 pc or Gi rod. All up to you and what you like.

And to your sighting question, you can either sight it in at the range during shooting, just rest it on the bench and adjust accordingly. Or you can get one of those laser sights that go in the bore and sight it in at home. I sighted mine at home using my friend's laser sight and it's dead on. The Target night sights that comes with it it's not the best for target shooting. If you plan to do that, get some fiber optics, at least in the front so you can pick up the front sight easier. But if you use it for a HD gun, the night sights come in handy. Hope this helps.

Montu

10-04-2011, 3:17 PM

Thanks for the info,

Looks like jessegpresley is hooking it up with a wc flgr...this will do the trick as I just want it to not get loose during firing and require no tool to take down.

this is an HD gun / range gun so I don't want to do anything that would make it less reliable

thanks guys. anything else I should know?

NS, were your sights off from the factory? maybe I should pick up one of those laser bore sighters ...

ns3v3n

10-04-2011, 3:57 PM

Yeah my night sights are factory sights.

Montu

10-04-2011, 3:59 PM

Yeah my night sights are factory sights.

I meant to ask if they were sighted in already? mine seem ok ..I've decided not to touch em for now.

ns3v3n

10-04-2011, 4:09 PM

Yeah mine is sighted to my liking, when it was from the factory, it was shooting off a little bit. The laser sight will help alot if you want to do it at home and dont want to do it round by round at the range.

jessegpresley

10-04-2011, 4:47 PM

The extra 100 FPS +P .45 ammo gives you isn't really worth the trouble of the added recoil. +P rounds aren't very popular in 1911s.

Montu

10-04-2011, 5:36 PM

^
yea I'll probably end up ordering some standard pressure and sell these off..may shoot a couple for comparison